Remember, remember, the 5th of November.... first aid kit, water and gloves!

Before we know it Bonfire night will be upon us and amid the ‘oooh’s and the ‘aaaah’s we need to know the safety of our children is not compromised. 

Bonfires, sparklers and fireworks are a great part of our heritage and should be enjoyed and marvelled at by all ages, but a bit of simple pre-planning ahead will ensure that everyone has a sparkling evening. Handy things to take with you would be; a bottle of drinking water each (which can be used on burns before other help arrives), basic first aid supplies such as plasters and sterile wipes, and perhaps set your mobile phone set to vibrate as it is unlikely to be heard over the crowd and also a torch.  All public firework events must have adequate first aid provision provided, so check out where that might be before it gets too dark! Sparklers can quickly injure young children as well as any adult standing a bit too close! 

First Aid treatment

• Quickly cool the burned area, preferably under cool running water, for at least 20 minutes..
  

• Do not remove any clothing that has stuck to a burn.
  

• Once cooled, the area must then be covered with a clean, dry, non-fluffy dressing, or a strip of cling film.
  

• All burns caused by fireworks must be seen at a hospital to ensure there has been no deeper damage done.

Please remember hot drinks can burn a child, both from drinking, or from spilt drinks when hands above them are jostled in crowds.  Burns to the mouth or throat can be very serious, so seek medical advice urgently and give the casualty frequent sips of cold water.  Never use any creams or butter on burns.

Peak Skills regularly offer first aid courses for parents, businesses and any other group or organisation.  Information on all our courses can be found on our web site – www.peakskills.co.uk or call us on 01732 462781.